Western Australian Museum

Western Australian Museum ‘Changes’ gallery development

The new Western Australian Museum (New Museum) is due to open in the Perth Cultural Centre in 2020. The New Museum will share the stories of our people and place, and act as a gateway to explore Western Australia (WA). The New Museum’s Changes gallery will explore the complex, enduring and significant relationship between people and the environment in WA. Changes shares the idea that WA’s land and water are precious resources, and that visitors’ actions can, and will, determine our future. Through the lens of multiple perspectives, it will explore the economic, environmental, cultural and social impacts of human engagement with our environment. As we learn from the past and think ahead, it will pose fundamental questions – what do we value? What do we want our State to look like in the future? What are we doing now to ensure the health of our State for a prosperous and sustainable future? Shaping the Future is one of seven main story areas within Changes.

While future focused content will feature throughout the entire Changes gallery, Shaping the Future will include a dedicated ‘hub’ (likely towards the end of the visitor journey), that will encourage visitors to form and reflect upon their own values and aspirations for the management and health of WA’s environment. It aims to spark discussion and debate, asks people to think and respond with their own comments, and invites them to consider how their own personal choices will influence the future of our State. Shaping the Future will invite participation and include visitor-generated content that is inspired by the stories and themes presented throughout the other main story areas in this gallery.